Henrik Zetterberg

Henrik Zetterberg, born 1980 in Njurunda, Sweden, is a professional ice-hockey center, currently playing for the Detroit Red Wings. He has won the Conn Smythe Trophy and the Stanley Cup in the 2008 play-offs.

Career

Swedish Career

He started his ice-hockey career by playing for the Swedish team Njurunda Sports Club, and other professional ice-hockey player Fredrik Modin did so aswell. In 2008 the Njurunda Ishall (Translated: Njurunda Ice Hall) changed it’s name to Modin & Zetterberg-hallen to honor the two players.

He was first brought to attention by the assistant GM of the Red Wings, Jim Neil, during a tournament in Finland. The Director of European Scouting, Håkan Andersson tried to focus Jim Neil on player Mattias Weinhandl, but Jim Neil couldn’t stop from noticing Henrik Zetterberg, quoting “this little Zetterberg guy who always seemed to have the puck”.

He was drafted in 1999, and played his two final seasons for Timrå IF in the Swedish elite league, Elitserien, before coming to play in the NHL in 2002-03.

NHL Career

Zetterberg had high expectations, and he did not disappoint. His first game was against the San Jose Sharks in the Joe Louis Arena. He played 79 games his first season, with 22 goals and 22 assists, ending the regular season at 44 points, which were above all other rookies. He won the Calder Trophy that year, for being the rookie of the year. He almost matched his stats in the next season, even though he missed 21 games due to a broken leg. During the lock-out period of the NHL in 2004-05, he went back to Sweden to play for his old team, Timrå IF and led the scoring league by making 50 points in 50 games.

As the NHL resumed the next year, he was named alternate captain in Steve Yzerman’s absence, and had one of the best seasons yet. He scored 39 goals and accumulated 85 points in total, only second to Pavel Datsyuk’s 87. He also had a /- of 29 and the highest amount of power play goals scored that season in the Red Wings : 17. Mike Babcock had created a line of only Swedish players that season, sometimes called the Swedish Five (In reference to the Russian Five, the line of five Russian players the Red Wings had during the 1990’s) and it consisted of Henrik Zetterberg, Mikael Samuelsson, Tomas Holmström, Nicklas Lidström and Niklas Kronwall (Kronwall sometimes replaced by Andreas Lilja). The same line was used in the 2006’s Winter Olympics, which gave Sweden the gold medal.

As Steve Yzerman retired, it was speculated in Swedish newspapers that Henrik Zetterberg might be next in line for captaincy of the Red Wings. However, the position was given to teammate and countryman Nicklas Lidström, with Zetterberg keeping his position as alternate captain. Zetterberg was also picked for the 2007 All-star game, but declined due to a wrist injury. Same year, Zetterberg scored his 100 career goal against the Phoenix Coyotes, getting praise from head coach of the Coyotes Wayne Gretzky : “Zetterberg is probably the most underrated player in the league”. Nine days later Zetterberg got his first NHL hat-trick, scoring 3 power-play goals against the Phoenix Coyotes. He also picked up an assist, giving him a 4-point game. He ended that season with 68 points playing 63 games, due to injuries.

He began the 2007-08 season with a bang. A 16-game scoring streak, setting a new franchise record for the Red Wings (Previous was 14 games by Norm Ullman) and was again voted to start for the Western Conference All-Stars in the 2008 All Star games. Zetterberg was injured once again this year, but still performed one of his career-year personal bests with 43 goals, 49 assists and 92 points in 75 games. He also added 27 points in 22 play-off games, beating the Pittsburgh Penguins in the finals, giving him both the Stanley Cup and Conn Smythe Trophy.

2008-09 was his final year of the Red Wings contract, but quickly accepted the new offer which included 12 years for the Red Wings for $73 million, breaking the franchise record for longest and most lucrative contract ever dealt. He scored 11 goals and 13 assists in the play-offs that season, only to lose the Cup to their previous-year opponents for the cup – the Pittsburgh Penguins.

He had a slow start to the 2009-10 season, but improved quickly and scored his fourth hat-trick against the Anaheim Ducks.

When Nicklas Lidström retired, Henrik was named the new captain of the Detroit Red Wings.

International play

He has played for Sweden in:

• · 2001 World Championships (bronze)
• · 2002 Winter Olympics
• · 2002 World Championships (bronze)
• · 2003 World Championships (silver)
• · 2004 World Cup of Hockey
• · 2005 World Championships
• · 2006 Winter Olympics (Gold medal)
• · 2006 World Championships (Gold medal)
• · 2010 Winter Olympics (Lost in quarter finals)

Zetterberg became a member of the Triple Gold Club (a club with 23 members to this date) in 2008 after winning the Stanley Cup. The requirements for this club is to have won the Olympic gold, the World Championship cold and the Stanley Cup.

Personal Life

The most common nickname for Henrik Zetterberg in Sweden is “Zäta” (pronounced Zaeta, the Swedish pronunciation for the letter “Z”). He is usually called Hank by his Red Wings teammates, an anglicized shortening of Henrik.

He is engaged to Swedish model and tv-host Emma Andersson.

Career Statistics

Regular Season

Play-Offs

International Statistics

Awards

Sweden

NHL

Nominations